Middlesex Community College
Encyclopedia
Middlesex Community College is a public community college
with two campuses located in Lowell
and Bedford, Massachusetts
, USA.
Preparatory Seminary, off Springs Road in Bedford. A third campus in Burlington, Massachusetts
opened in September 1981 in a former middle-school building. In 1988, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts bought the Marist property for the college; new prefabricated buildings were erected there, and the renovated Bedford campus opened in 1992.
In 1987, Middlesex opened a temporary campus at the Wannalancit Mills
complex in Lowell
. To establish a permanent Lowell campus, the college purchased a six-story corporate training center at Kearney Square from Wang Laboratories
in 1990 and relocated its Lowell activities there in 1991. The Wannalancit Mills buildings then came under the management of the University of Massachusetts Lowell
. In 2004, the college expanded into a former federal office building across the street from the MCC tower. In April 2008, the college acquired a former Boston & Maine railroad depot in Lowell, for future use by performing arts.programs. As of December 2008, the college has acquired the Smith Baker Center, a former church, and will be sharing it with UMass Lowell.
. Bordering the town of Billerica
, the campus incorporates 11 buildings that house classrooms, laboratories, offices, a library, the Medical Education Imaging Center and the MCC Concert Hall. A bookstore, cafeteria, student lounge and fitness center are located in the Bedford Campus Center.
Near the Bedford campus, on Concord Road, a historic saltbox-style farmhouse, now called the Middlesex Meetinghouse, is used primarily for college, corporate and community gatherings.
The college's Lowell campus is situated at Kearney Square, in the heart of the city, at the confluence of the Concord River
and the Pawtucket Canal
. It includes the five-story City Building, with classrooms, offices and a cafeteria.
The recently restored Federal Building, located across Merrimack Street, houses a library, classrooms, a visual arts room, and conference areas. Across the bridge from the City Building on Davidson Street is the MCC Theatre, a flexible 90-seat performance space where the MCC Theatre Company stages productions. In September 2008, the theatre received cushioned seats from another theatre, and now has 100 seats.
The Health, Science & Technology Center, located on nearby Middle Street, includes the Middlesex Dental Hygiene Clinic, classrooms, laboratories and the Nursing Learning Center.
The college also maintains the historic John Nesmith House, located on Andover Street in Lowell, which is supported by the MCC Foundation. It houses the Lester J. Grant Center for Economic Development and the Elkin B. McCallum Center for International Studies.
On Howe Street, the college has their Howe Building Annex, which the top floor is used for Dance, Music, and Voice classes. The bottom floor is a storage/garage for facilities.
The student population at Middlesex ranges from recent high school graduates to adults returning to school. Recent demographic studies show that 44 percent of MCC students attend full time, 21 percent have dependent children, 82 percent are employed, 42 percent receive financial aid, and 45 percent have had prior college experience. Survey data and follow-up studies of MCC graduates within one year of graduation indicate that 97 percent were either pursuing further higher education or were employed in a field related to their training at MCC.
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
with two campuses located in Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
and Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, USA.
Description
Founded in 1970, Middlesex Community College is a community college in Massachusetts, with campuses in suburban Bedford and the city of Lowell. MCC has a total annual enrollment of more than 8,000 credit students and several thousand noncredit students.History
The college was founded in 1970 in leased buildings on the grounds of the Veterans Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts. Starting in 1972, the college also leased space at the former MaristMarist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
Preparatory Seminary, off Springs Road in Bedford. A third campus in Burlington, Massachusetts
Burlington, Massachusetts
Burlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,498 at the 2010 census.- History :It is believed that Burlington takes its name from the English town of Bridlington, however this has never been confirmed....
opened in September 1981 in a former middle-school building. In 1988, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts bought the Marist property for the college; new prefabricated buildings were erected there, and the renovated Bedford campus opened in 1992.
In 1987, Middlesex opened a temporary campus at the Wannalancit Mills
Wannalancit Mills
The Wannalancit Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts are an early American cotton mill, parts of which date to the 1830s at the earliest. Its namesake is a corruption of Wonalancet, a sachem or sagamore of the Penacook Native American tribe...
complex in Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
. To establish a permanent Lowell campus, the college purchased a six-story corporate training center at Kearney Square from Wang Laboratories
Wang Laboratories
Wang Laboratories was a computer company founded in 1951 by Dr. An Wang and Dr. G. Y. Chu. The company was successively headquartered in Cambridge , Tewksbury , and finally in Lowell, Massachusetts . At its peak in the 1980s, Wang Laboratories had annual revenues of $3 billion and employed over...
in 1990 and relocated its Lowell activities there in 1991. The Wannalancit Mills buildings then came under the management of the University of Massachusetts Lowell
University of Massachusetts Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system...
. In 2004, the college expanded into a former federal office building across the street from the MCC tower. In April 2008, the college acquired a former Boston & Maine railroad depot in Lowell, for future use by performing arts.programs. As of December 2008, the college has acquired the Smith Baker Center, a former church, and will be sharing it with UMass Lowell.
Presidents of the College
- James E. Houlihan, Jr. 1970-1988
- Evan S. Dobelle, 1988-1990
- Carole Cowan, 1990-
Campuses
The Bedford campus is situated on 200 acre (0.809372 km²) located off Springs Road, close to U.S. Route 3U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
. Bordering the town of Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, the campus incorporates 11 buildings that house classrooms, laboratories, offices, a library, the Medical Education Imaging Center and the MCC Concert Hall. A bookstore, cafeteria, student lounge and fitness center are located in the Bedford Campus Center.
Near the Bedford campus, on Concord Road, a historic saltbox-style farmhouse, now called the Middlesex Meetinghouse, is used primarily for college, corporate and community gatherings.
The college's Lowell campus is situated at Kearney Square, in the heart of the city, at the confluence of the Concord River
Concord River
The Concord River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The river drains a small rural and suburban region northwest of Boston. One of the most famous small rivers in U.S...
and the Pawtucket Canal
Pawtucket Canal
Completed in 1796, the Pawtucket Canal was originally built as a transportation canal to circumvent the Pawtucket Falls of the Merrimack River in East Chelmsford, Massachusetts. In the early 1820s it became a major component of the Lowell power canal system...
. It includes the five-story City Building, with classrooms, offices and a cafeteria.
The recently restored Federal Building, located across Merrimack Street, houses a library, classrooms, a visual arts room, and conference areas. Across the bridge from the City Building on Davidson Street is the MCC Theatre, a flexible 90-seat performance space where the MCC Theatre Company stages productions. In September 2008, the theatre received cushioned seats from another theatre, and now has 100 seats.
The Health, Science & Technology Center, located on nearby Middle Street, includes the Middlesex Dental Hygiene Clinic, classrooms, laboratories and the Nursing Learning Center.
The college also maintains the historic John Nesmith House, located on Andover Street in Lowell, which is supported by the MCC Foundation. It houses the Lester J. Grant Center for Economic Development and the Elkin B. McCallum Center for International Studies.
On Howe Street, the college has their Howe Building Annex, which the top floor is used for Dance, Music, and Voice classes. The bottom floor is a storage/garage for facilities.
Programs
Middlesex Community College offers 57 associate degree programs and 25 certificate programs, as well as many short-term, highly focused programs in selected career fields. Students can take classes during the day, evening, on weekends, and online. MCC students can now complete selected bachelor’s degree programs at the college offered in conjunction with Massachusetts state colleges. More than 5,000 Middlesex students take courses online through Middlesex Interactive, the college’s online learning network offered throughout the year. MCC also has an extensive array of noncredit courses offering personal and professional-development opportunities.The student population at Middlesex ranges from recent high school graduates to adults returning to school. Recent demographic studies show that 44 percent of MCC students attend full time, 21 percent have dependent children, 82 percent are employed, 42 percent receive financial aid, and 45 percent have had prior college experience. Survey data and follow-up studies of MCC graduates within one year of graduation indicate that 97 percent were either pursuing further higher education or were employed in a field related to their training at MCC.